I enjoyed the physical, taxing labor of cleaning up an oil spill in south central Oklahoma. After a semester of intense studies, the change to manual labor gave me time to think in a way that I do not get to at college. I had to learn more about being self-reliant and always prepared, since most of the time I did not know what a week on the job would look like.
The second half of the summer, I worked at the company's office building doing various odd jobs and building renovations. This involved lots of problem solving and thinking in new ways.
What I wish was different
I wish I had known better what i was getting into in this job. This kind of work is by nature unpredictable and demands long hours. It made me really appreciate the structure and consistency of college life!
Advice
My one word of advice is to take seriously the intellectual and spiritual potential of a basic, manual job. I went in for the purpose of staying fit over the summer, and I found that my mind benefitted as well.
